Got Lice

What are head lice?

The head louse is an 6 legged insect

that can be found on the head, eyebrows, and eyelashes of people.

Head lice feed on human blood several times a day and live close to the human scalp.

Head lice are not known to spread disease.

Who is at risk for getting head lice?

Head lice are found worldwide.

In Nova Scotia, infestation with head lice is most common among

pre-school children attending child care, elementary schoolchildren,

and the household members of infested children.

Anyone who comes in head-to-head contact with someone

who already has head lice is at greatest risk. 

What do head lice look like?

Head lice have three forms:

The egg (also called a nit), the nymph, and the adult louse.

Nits

Are firmly attached to the hair shaft

and are oval-shaped and very small(about the size of a knot in thread) and hard to see.

Nits often appear yellow or white although live nits sometimes appear

to be the same color as the hair of the infested person.

Nymph

Look like an adult head louse, but is smaller.

To live, a nymph must feed on blood. Nymphs mature into adults about 9–12 days after hatching from the nit.

Mature louse

Is about the size of a sesame seed, has six legs, and is tan to grayish-white in color.

Adult head lice may look darker in persons with dark hair than in persons with light hair.

 Adult female head lice are usually larger than males and can lay about six eggs each day.

Where are head lice most commonly found?

Head lice are found almost exclusively on the scalp, particularly around and behind the ears and near the neckline at the back of the head. Head lice hold tightly to hair with hook-like claws at the end of each of their six legs. Head lice nits are cemented firmly to the hair shaft and can be difficult to remove even after the nymphs hatch and empty casings remain.

Signs and symptoms of head lice infestation?

Tickling feeling of something moving in the hair.

Itching, caused by an allergic reaction to the bites of the head louse.

Irritability and difficulty sleeping; head lice are most active in the dark.

Sores on the head caused by scratching.

These sores can sometimes become infected with bacteria found on the person’s skin.

How did my child get head lice?

Head-to-head contact with an already infested person 

is the most common way to get head lice.

Head-to-head contact is common during play at school, at home, and elsewhere

(sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).

Spread by contact with inanimate objects and personal belongings

may occur but is very uncommon.

Head lice feet are specially adapted for holding onto human hair.

Head lice would have difficulty attaching firmly to smooth or slippery surfaces like plastic, metal, polished synthetic leathers, and other similar materials.

Dogs, cats, and other pets do not play a role in the spread of head lice.

How is head lice infestation diagnosed?

The diagnosis of a head lice infestation is best made by finding

a live nymph or adult louse on the scalp or hair of a person.

Because nymphs and adult lice are  very small, move quickly, and avoid light,

they can be difficult to find.

If no live nymphs or adult lice are seen, and the only nits found are more than

¼-inch from the scalp, the infestation is probably old and no longer active

and does not need to be treated.

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